BILL ANALYSIS �
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1550|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1550
Author: Wright (D)
Amended: 5/25/12
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 8-0, 4/18/12
AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Hancock, Huff, Liu, Price,
Simitian, Vargas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner, Blakeslee, Vacancy
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 5/24/12
AYES: Kehoe, Walters, Alquist, Dutton, Lieu, Price,
Steinberg
SUBJECT : Community colleges: extension course pilot
program
SOURCE : Long Beach City College
DIGEST : This bill requires the California Community
Colleges Chancellors Office to establish a voluntary pilot
program involving up to five community college districts
(CCDs) for the purposes of authorizing a CCD to establish
and maintain an extension program offering career and
workforce training credit courses at fee levels that cover
the actual cost of maintaining those courses. This bill
requires the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) to report
to the Legislature on this pilot program by June 30, 2016.
ANALYSIS : Existing law requires the governing board of a
CONTINUED
SB 1550
Page
2
CCD to admit any California resident possessing a high
school diploma or the equivalent and authorizes the board
to admit anyone who is capable of profiting from the
instruction offered, as specified. (Education Code (ED)
Section 76000)
Existing law also requires that California Community
College (CCC) students be charged a per unit fee, and
statutorily sets the fee level through the annual budget
process. Students enrolled in noncredit courses and in
credit contract education courses, as specified, are
exempted from these fee requirements. Statute also exempts
from these requirements California State University (CSU)
and University of California (UC) students enrolled in CCC
remedial classes, as specified, and provides for the waiver
of these fees for students who have financial need or meet
other specified criteria. (ED Section 76300)
Recent budget reductions have challenged the ability of the
CCC to provide open access to students. CCC enrollment has
been constrained by both budget cuts and increased
enrollment demand. In the 2011-12 Budget, the CCC
appropriation was reduced by $400 million. In January
2012, mid-year reductions resulted in an additional $102
million cut. The CCC estimate that property tax and fee
revenue shortfalls may result in $149 million less than
projected, and further compound the current access issues.
In the absence of available CCC career and workforce
training credit courses, increasing numbers of Californians
are opting to pursue these types of courses in proprietary
postsecondary institutions. These institutions cost much
more to attend than CCCs, and students typically pay more
than the proportional full cost for a CCC to operate
similar courses.
This bill requires the Chancellor's Office to establish a
voluntary pilot program for up to five CCDs for purposes of
authorizing a CCD to establish and maintain an extension
program offering career and workforce training credit
courses. This bill specifies selection considerations and
requirements for participation in the pilot program. A
participating CCD would be authorized to establish fees not
to exceed the actual cost, as defined, of maintaining the
SB 1550
Page
3
established courses, and required to collect specified
information about the pilot. This bill requires the LAO to
report to the Legislature on this pilot program by June 30,
2016.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Pilot program: The Chancellor's Office estimates
administrative expenses of $206,000 - $313,000 to
administer the pilot program. A portion of those
expenses would be incurred up front, before the pilot
program begins. Those costs would only be reimbursed to
the extent that there is participation, and it is not
clear if they would be reimbursed in the same fiscal year
in which they are incurred.
LAO Report: Minor costs, absorbable within existing LAO
staffing resources.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/25/12)
Long Beach City College (source)
College of the Canyons
Community College League of California
Long Beach Community College District
OPPOSITION : (Verified 5/25/12)
Antelope Community College District
California Federation of Teachers
California Teachers Association's Community College
Association
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
Kern Community College District
Los Angeles Community College District
Los Rios Community College District
Peralta Community College District
San Diego Community College District
Yosemite Community College District
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
SB 1550
Page
4
current statutes allow the UC and CSU systems to offer
credit bearing extension programs. This bill will allow a
few colleges in the Community College system to pilot a
similar program but only for career technical and workforce
training. This bill also contains a number of protections
against abuse, course supplanting and excessive costs.
Given the budget cutbacks and general limited resources,
this bill provides the resources for essential programs
like this that are more expensive to offer.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The California Teachers
Association (CTA) states: "CTA believes in the 'open
enrollment' policy for California's community colleges and
opposes the imposition of fees or tuition for instruction.
All students who meet California residency requirements
should have free access" and "no qualified student should
be denied access to higher educational programs for lack of
funding."
PQ:mw 5/25/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****